But It Must
Not Be Inferred From This, That Custom So Inures Them To The Changes
Of The Elements, As
To make them bear with indifference the extremes of heat
and cold; for we have had visible and repeated proofs,
That the latter
affects them severely, when they are seen shivering, and huddling themselves up
in heaps in their huts, or the caverns of the rocks, until a fire
can be kindled.
Than these huts nothing more rude in construction, or deficient in conveniency,
can be imagined. They consist only of pieces of bark laid together in the form
of an oven, open at one end, and very low, though long enough for a man to lie
at full length. There is reason, however, to believe, that they depend less
on them for shelter, than on the caverns with which the rocks abound.
To cultivation of the ground they are utter strangers, and wholly depend
for food on the few fruits they gather; the roots they dig up in the swamps;
and the fish they pick up along shore, or contrive to strike from their canoes
with spears. Fishing, indeed, seems to engross nearly the whole of their time,
probably from its forming the chief part of a subsistence, which,
observation has convinced us, nothing short of the most painful labour,
and unwearied assiduity, can procure. When fish are scarce, which frequently
happens, they often watch the moment of our hauling the seine, and have more
than once been known to plunder its contents, in spite of the opposition
of those on the spot to guard it: and this even after having received a part
of what had been caught. The only resource at these times is to shew
a musquet, and if the bare sight is not sufficient, to fire it over
their heads, which has seldom failed of dispersing them hitherto,
but how long the terror which it excites may continue is doubtful.
The canoes in which they fish are as despicable as their huts, being nothing
more than a large piece of bark tied up at both ends with vines.
Their dexterous management of them, added to the swiftness with which
they paddle, and the boldness that leads them several miles in the open sea,
are, nevertheless, highly deserving of admiration. A canoe is seldom seen
without a fire in it, to dress the fish by, as soon as caught:
fire they procure by attrition.
From their manner of disposing of those who die, which will be mentioned
hereafter, as well as from every other observation, there seems no reason
to suppose these people cannibals; nor do they ever eat animal substances
in a raw state, unless pressed by extreme hunger, but indiscriminately
broil them, and their vegetables, on a fire, which renders these last
an innocent food, though in their raw state many of them are of a poisonous
quality: as a poor convict who unguardedly eat of them experienced,
by falling a sacrifice in twenty-four hours afterwards.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 26 of 47
Words from 13187 to 13689
of 24415
